The Car Guide

South Africans love bakkies, but what should they choose when the options are almost endless? We look at a few options under R700 000. Image: CAR Browse thousands of new and used vehicles here with CARmag! In case you didn’t know, South Africans love a good double cab bakkie! And for good reason. These vehicles are among the most versatile in the global car market, but they are particularly favoured in good ol’ Sunny SA. Simply because they tick all the boxes, and nearly every South African considering a bakkie as their next purchasing option will opt for (according to sales) the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, and Isuzu D-Max first. Then the rest. Below, we’re not doing a nitty-gritty, like-for-like comparison. Instead, we’re going to explore what each contender brings to the table. The pretenders: the Isuzu D-Max 1.9TD LS X-Rider 4×2 AT, Ford Ranger 2.0 SiT XLT 4×2 AT, Toyota Hilux 2.4 GD-6 Raider 4×2 AT, and the newly launched Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 GLS AT. 2025 Mitsubishi Triton...

The latest addition to Toyota’s all-electric line-up of vehicles, the Japanese automotive giant has whipped the wraps off the battery-powered Urban Cruiser. Image: Toyota Looking for a new or used Toyota? Find it here with CARmag In its continued collaboration with Suzuki, Toyota has unveiled the e Vitara-based Urban Cruiser, the latest model in the Japanese automaker’s all-electric vehicle portfolio. The emissions-free Urban Cruiser will be available with the choice of either a 49 kWh or 61 kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery pack and a duo of drivetrains. Coupled with a single, front-mounted electric motor, the (front-wheel-drive) 49 kWh and 61 kWh versions are endowed with 106 kW and 128 kW, respectively. Related: Suzuki’s All-Electric eVX SUV Will Also Be Branded as a Toyota Image: Toyota The all-wheel-drive all-electric Urban Cruiser is exclusively available with the 61 kWh battery option. Equipped with a twin electric motor arrangement, the all-paw variant produces 135 ...

The box-fresh Haval H7 has touched in South Africa with the SA arm of the Chinese automaker announcing pricing and specification for its latest local SUV offering. See pricing below… Image: Haval Looking for a new or used vehicle? Find it here with CARmag.  Though based on the same platform as the H6, the H7’s angular bodywork is longer, front to rear, wider and taller. The H7 measures 4 705 mm in length, 1 908 mm in width, and 1 780 mm in height. The ground clearance is rated at 210 mm. The approach and departure angles are 24 and 30 degrees, respectively. Related: Road Test: Haval Jolion Pro 1.5T Ultra Luxury 7DCT The H7 is available with the choice of two engine options, a 170 kW/380 N.m 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit, which can be had with either front- or four-wheel-drive drivetrains, and a 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain producing 179 kW and 530 N.m of torque, exclusively sent to the front axle via the automaker’s Direct Hybrid Transmission (DHT). The 2....

Aston Martin has whipped the wraps — and the roof! — off the new-generation Vantage Roadster. Here’s what you can expect… Image: Aston Martin Looking for a new or used vehicle? Find it here with CARmag.  Aston Martin says the Vantage Roadster brings all the performance, dynamic sensations and visual excitement of its coupé stablemate together with the thrills provided by open-top driving. Said Adrian Hallmark, Chief Executive Officer of the British marque, “The technical and dynamic capability of the new Vantage delivered outstanding performance; far beyond any other preceding Vantage […] The Vantage Roadster was no different feat in that it is a fully reinvented experience, with all the benefits of the Coupé and no compromise to refinement or performance […] The Vantage Roadster delivers a world-class roof-down driving experience like no other.” Related: Road Test: Aston Martin Vantage Coupé Image: Aston Martin Like its Vantage Coupé sibling, which we tested in the Jan...

Suzuki fitted its fourth-generation Swift with a new engine. But could they have missed an opportunity to turbocharge it? Image: Melissa Breedt Looking for a new or used Suzuki? Find it here with CARmag! The Suzuki Swift has long been a crowd favourite…and for good reason. Its playful design, nippy handling and reputability have kept it a popular choice worldwide, particularly in budget-conscious markets like South Africa. Noteworthy, the Swift has been nominated for not only World Urban Car of the Year but, more significantly, for World Car of the Year at the 2025 World Car Awards. The Swift is a car that’s not to be scoffed at, because the Japanese automaker sold more than nine million Swifts since the pocket-friendly hatchback made its debut in 2004. Locally, since Suzuki re-entered the South African market in 2008, the firm has sold 85 660 units of the budget-oriented hatch in SA. However, with the fourth-generation Swift, which we sampled before its official SA launch, Suz...

Ford has whipped the wraps off the Mustang GTD Spirit of America, a special-edition model paying tribute to the Mustang’s achievements and American ingenuity and perseverance. Image: Ford Looking for a new or used Ford? Find it here with CARmag! Developed to pay homage to the Mustang’s achievements throughout the Blue Oval sports car’s 60-year history and America’s spirit of ingenuity and perseverance, Ford has unleashed a special-edition version of its apex Mustang. Meet the Mustang GTD Spirit of America… To bring the Mustang GTD Spirit of America to life, Ford’s design department handed the standard Mustang GTD a ‘Performance White’ exterior paint scheme, replete with ‘Race Red’ and ‘Lightning Blue’ racing stripes, spanning the bonnet to the rear of the car. Exposed carbon-fibre finishes — notably for the Mustang GTD Spirit of America’s aerodynamic elements, including the front splitter, rear diffuser and large rear wing — are also present. The spoiler features ‘Race Red’ trim...